Like Always
by heartoffire03
Summary: He's a carefree student, not caring whatsoever. While she lives a normal school life. Both, however, had a past. A past where they broke each others heart and they both purposely forgot about. A past that will bring them both back to eachother. IchiRuki
1. Forgotten Words

**AN:**** Hello to the people who decided to pay attention to this! Okay well . . . this is my second story for bleach, the idea for this actually came to me very randomly while I was watching American Pie: Band Camp for the . . . 10****th**** time this year . . . I think . . . **_**chuckles**_**. Anyway . . . yeah . . . it's also my first AU fic so apologies to my mistakes (yeah, there's gonna be a lot, I'm telling you now). R&R . . . please?**

**Disclaimer:** **Me!? Oh please . . . No waay, Kubo-san still owns bleach . . .**

* * *

_The heart was made to be broken_

_- Oscar Wilde_

* * *

A petite black haired teenage girl walked down a mysteriously empty hallway of the West Wing of Karakura High School. Her footsteps, quick and hard against the stone floor, echoed throughout the whole deserted hallway. 

As the girl quickly stride across the hall, the posture of her back was straight and frigid, in a strict manner, unlike the normal hunched figure of girls her age; her eyes were hooded by her bangs, making a somewhat dark shadow over her face, and blocking her eyes from any possible eye contact. Her arms swayed fluidly as her body moved, both of her hands were balled into tight fists, so tight that the color in them seemed to have faded only to be replaced by a pale, ghostly color.

As she desperately tried to stop herself from breaking down, she tightened her fists even more, especially her right hand. The soft cloth against her hand flared her emotions deep inside of her and so, breaking through her wall of concentration.

She stopped, took a long deep breath, thinking that it could stop the raging emotions within her. Unfortunately, they didn't work at all and so, her emotions kept on going and going, ramming itself against her slowly crumbling stable self. She tried desperately to remain calm, breaking down somewhere not private, in a school, is definitely not a good thing. Her emotions finally took its peak and her wall of stabilization crumbled. She slammed her back against the nearest wall and let the emotions out. Tears immediately started to stream down her already flushed cheeks, finally breaking through. She desperately tried to push the tears away from her face but they stubbornly kept continued to leak out.

_Damnit! Stop! Stop crying! STOP!!_

She slammed her back against the wall over and over again in frustration and also trying to push the sadness away. The cold wall felt good against her clothed skin, but the pain, however, mixed with the pain that she was already feeling and, instead of making her feel better, thus making her sob even more. Her small shaking body slowly started to slide down against the wall and in seconds, she found herself sitting with her head between her bent knees.

She felt the cloth that was encased in her right hand once again and suddenly ceased crying.

* * *

"_Here," holding the handkerchief out to her. "Take it."_

_His voice was barely audible and low, a chilling coldness can also be heard within his voice._

_She didn't say anything and instead stayed silent, standing still in front of him with hooded eyes._

'_Bastard . . . not even a sorry . . .'_

_Suddenly, his other hand that wasn't holding the hankie reached out and took hold of her hand. An imaginary electricity passed throughout her body due to the sudden contact and instead of holding the other hand back, she quickly snapped her hand away and then smacked him. _

_His head stayed still for a moment, his eyes were shut tight, and not wanting for her to see the pain in his betrayed eyes would show. A large red spot, somewhat in shape of a hand, started to appear on his cheek, soaking up all the pain. She expected a retort back from him but instead he remained silent with his eyes closed._

"_H – how DARE you t – touch me." She stammered, her voice full of disgust and anger._

_Still, no response._

_She was about to say something back but he suddenly moved, his eyes hooded by his hair, and reached out for her hand, just like before, and then stuffed the hankie in between her tightly closed fingers._

_She shivered at the contact but didn't do anything drastic._

"_You'll need it." His voice was full of pain and, once again, coldness._

"_I . . ." Her voice faded._

_She suddenly remembered that he was still clutching her hand, she quickly snatched it away and fled from the room they were in. Not once looking back._

* * *

She gritted her teeth hard as she remembered what happened as the tears started to leak out of her eyes once again. Anger flared up deep within her but she continued on sobbing, letting it out with tears instead of rash movements. 

_He knew . . . he knew this would happen . . ._

She clutched the hankie in her right hand even tighter. She continued on sobbing and sobbing, but not once did she use the hankie to wipe her tears away.

"I . . . I hate you." She stuttered out loud.

* * *

"_H – how DARE you t – touch me."_

Her last words echoed throughout his head, etching themselves into his memory. He could hear the disgust in her voice, clear and obvious. Pain was also in there, pain that he inflicted on her, pain that he promised he would never put on her.

_I didn't mean to . . . I swear I didn't._

He stood still after she left, running out of the room. He felt his heart being crushed when she fled, he wanted to run after her and say sorry but he didn't . . . no, more like he couldn't. His hand slowly dropped down next to him, he could still feel her skin against his hand, soft and smooth.

His lips formed a sad smile as the thought of all the moments they shared with each other, her small, smooth hand in his.

_I guess I'll never feel those hands anymore . . ._

He slowly walked to the door and opened it not stepping out, instead, he peered out. He looked left and right and saw no one and then stepped out. He was about to turn around a corner when he heard loud sobs. He stopped dead on his tracks and peered to see who was crying.

His eyes widened while he felt his heart being crushed once again. He saw her tiny form huddled against a wall with her head in between her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. His eyes noticed his hankie in her right hand, and by the looks of it, she was holding it tightly. She kept on pushing her back against the wall, inflicting pain on purpose. He flinched as he heard a soft thud as her back hit the wall once again, it was like he was in her body, also feeling the pain.

He took a step forward and was about to run to her, cradle her small frame in his arms and apologize to her over and over again, kiss her frantically and try to push the pain that he inflicted onto her, when he heard a barely audible whisper from her but somehow reached his ears.

". . . I hate you."

He froze as he heard the words, stopping him dead on his tracks. He felt his heart being ripped in half as the words felt like arrows piercing through his already broken heart.

Memories flashed through his head. Happy moments with her, her warm embrace around his body, her heartwarming laugh echoing in her ears, her hand entwined with his.

"_I love you . . ."_

"_I'll never hate you . . ."_

He gripped his hair as he heard her voice again. The pain was too much to bear.

A sudden darkness then,

"_I hate you."_

His grip tightened even more. She didn't know it but hell, she was killing him, slowly and mercilessly. But he knows deep down inside him that it was his fault that he was feeling this pain.

He deserved the pain.

_I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry . . ._

He apologized in his head over and over again but her lulling voice and kind words continued on tormenting him.

Her loud sobs suddenly reached his ears, finally snapping him out of his daze and quickly straightened himself. He took one last look at her huddled body, turned around and walked away.

"I still love you." He murmured darkly.

* * *

**AN:**** Phew, okay so yeah. That was the first chapter, how was it? Honestly, I think that was ****very**** OOC but what do you guys think?? Soo tell me by reviewing oookays? Now I gotta update Late so yeah, please read that too (if you aren't reading it already)! Sayonara for now!**


	2. Awkard Moment

**AN: **_**Sigh**_** . . . okay, time for chapter 2!! I'm guessing this story isn't as popular as late neh? But anyway, thank you for my 5 reviewers!! I LOVE YOU ALL!! This chapter's dedicated to them XP**

_**Angel's Final Tear – You should honestly get off of nii-san's account, he was 'frustrated' that he couldn't review XD Thanks oji-san!! (They're my friends but I call them that XD)**_

_**Cherryblossom279 – Hello!! I do hope you're still reading this story XD Thanks for paying attention to my A/N from late. THANKS FOR REVIEWING!**_

_**always lost123 – Thanks for reviewing late AND like always. Glad to hear it's not confusing to you! ARIGATOU!!**_

_**MCRdeathGOD – Thanks for the compliment! For both from late and this one. THANKS!**_

_**Strawberry-Ringo – Thanks very much for that!! I kinda lost some interest on continuing this story after I read that review BUT thanks to YOUR review, I'm back on! THANKS!**_

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own bleach TT**

* * *

_Relationships are like broken glass._

_Sometimes its better to leave them broken_

_than try to hurt yourself putting it back together._

_- Anonymous_

* * *

The sky above her was a beautiful shade of blue, white puffy clouds scattered across the sky, morning birds chirped loudly and beautifully around her while the wind gently swayed here and there, tugging at her uniform. She inhaled the calming morning scent with a faint smile as she walked to slowly to school. 

It was yet another school year. Summer went by rather quickly. She hanged out with her friends but not as often as other girls would and instead spent her days in a peaceful manner that involves reading on a tree, watching the sunset or stay up late watching the night sky from the roof, occasionally seeing a few shooting stars that she would eagerly wished on. Oh how she wished that she could spend her entire life just doing that but, just as always, the letter from the school would informing the students about the coming school year ripped through her peaceful summer and pushed her back into reality.

Now here she was, talking her time walking to walk to school. The teachers wouldn't mind if she, or anybody else, is late, due to the fact they're still probably in the after effects of summer. She shrugged at the thought of what her teachers were doing during the summer.

"Rukia – san!!"

She snapped out of her daze and immediately turned her head around to see who called her name out. She sees Inoue just few yards from where she's at, waving her hands frantically.

"Rukia – san!!" Her eyes suddenly widened and her already frantic hands waved even more. "WATCH OUT!!"

She arched her eyebrows at what Inoue said, "WHA – "

She suddenly bumped into something with force. For a brief moment, she smelt a familiar cologne that reached her nose but quickly vanished as she lost her balance, toppling back. The next thing she noticed was that she was on the ground with a sore butt from landing on it. She flinched as she tried to stand up, brushing dirt off her uniform.

"Freaking idiot, can't you see where you're walking at?" A male voice said right in front of her.

A scowl appeared on her face as anger illuminated her dark orbs.

"Well sorrrrrry Mr. Asshole." She snapped back, full of enthusiasm.

She looked up only to be greeted by amber eyes that looked down at her, piercing her stare with the same amount of intensity as hers. She couldn't help but feel her nerves be rattled from the guys stare.

_They look familiar._

She averted her gaze off the guy's eyes but as soon as she left his gaze, bright orange hair caught her wandering eyes. Something inside of her snapped at the sigh of the orange hair. She immediately took a step back and looked at the person who she had bumped into. Her eyes widened as she let a gasp escape her throat.

_Shit._

* * *

He furrowed his eyebrows as the persons eyes in front of him suddenly widened right after he/she tore their eyes off of his glare. His orange hair reflected against the surface of her glistening azure eyes. She suddenly took a step back from him and heard a gasp from her. 

He straightened up to see who the person was and instantly widened his eyes.

"Crap." He murmured.

He didn't know how long the two of them stared at each other with dumbstruck looks on their faces. He's feet felt like they were rooted to the ground as her eyes continued to drown him in deeper and deeper as each second pass by. Those eyes that he longed to see for the longest time . . . but his heart dropped down as he saw a now empty spot behind her dark orbs that was filled long ago meaning one thing, her love for him was _really _gone.

_I guess she wasn't kidding when she said that huh?_

He opened his mouth to say something when somebody interrupted him, immediately closing it shut.

"Oh!" A high female voice suddenly sprang out. "K – Kurosaki-kun!"

He snapped out of his daze and moved his gaze behind where Rukia stood, seeing Inoue.

He nodded at her as if to recognize her presence shortly followed by a monotone, "Hey".

He watched her walk towards Rukia, who was still gazing at him with clouded eyes, and placed a hand on her shoulders, gently shaking her.

"Rukia?"

* * *

She felt a someone's hand on her shoulder, shaking her gently at the same time. She snapped out of her daze and turned to see whose hand is on her shoulder. 

"I – Inoue."

"Hey!" Inoue brightly replied. "You ok?"

"Yeah," She turned her head to look at Ichigo's figure standing in front of him. "I'm alright."

"We kind of lost you for a minute there."

"Yeah, sorry about that," Still gazing at him. "Memories . . . took me in for a minute."

She was sure he noticed the coldness in her voice; she saw his eyes softening and the corners of his lips twitching and a growing frown is also visible.

She smiled to herself but quickly shook her head, _No . . . I know him too well._

His amber eyes were locked into hers, she felt like he was searching desperately something from her. Fortunately, she managed to close him off, pushing him mentally and emotionally away from her and her now chaotic emotions inside of her that were all triggered when she first realized that he bumped into the person who she vowed to hate for all eternity.

Desperate for some distraction, she tore her gaze off of his and turned to Inoue, plastering a smile on her face.

"C'mon Inoue, we're going to be late."

* * *

He opened his mouth to say something to stop them from going but no words came out and so, decided to close them shut once again. 

_Damn._

He stared at Rukia's face from the corner of his eyes, making sure that he made his actions oblivious.

Inoue suddenly took Rukia's arm and tangled it around hers and started dragging her with that familiar smile on her face.

He didn't do or say anything to stop them; he let them pass him and caught a swift of Rukia's familiar scent. Inhaling the scent deeply as if he was running out of air.

_Cherry blossoms . . ._

Oh how he missed this scent. It was intoxicating, dazing him and pulling him into his memories that included her. Her smile flashed in his head, she felt the ghost of her warm hand encased in his, her hugs that would push all his sorrows away, her sweet lips against his, and everything else.

He felt a sudden surge of electricity, shaking every single nerve in his body, snapping him out of his daze. He looked down to see that Rukia's body accidentally bumped into his, her hand grazing his ever so lightly but still, he felt it. He didn't let his emotions take over and instead put on an emotionless face, he noticed that Rukia's hair had gotten over her eyes, covering and shadowing them from any eye contact.

_She's still the same heh?_

He watch as Inoue drags Rukia onward to school, her hands waving enthusiastically at him.

"See yah around Kurosaki-kun!" She yells as they slowly disappear from his view.

He smirked and scratches his hair. He lifted the hand that was touched by Rukia and looked at it with intent. He could feel a slight tingling from the spot. He frowned and shook his head.

_It's probably just my imagination._

He raised his head up to look at where Rukia just stood and sniffed the air, catching her faint smell that somehow stayed. He closed his eyes to take in the scent that was soothing but also burning at the same time. He felt his lungs and mind being cleared up, of which he was very thankful for. He had a lot of unnecessary things in his mind lately.

He opened his eyes and started to walk the same path Rukia and Inoue just took minutes before him. His eyes were somehow clear, a smile tugging along on his face.

One thing was still for sure:

He still loves her after three whole years.

* * *

**AN:**** Okay, so that was chapter 2. I hope that cleared some unanswered questions in your head. Sorry for a short update, I had a lot of distraction while typing this chapter so yeah . . . I kind of lost some of my ideas but hey at least I updated huh? Well anyway, THANKS FOR MY LOVELY REVIEWERS!! I LOVE YOU ALL!! Taa!**

**AN 2:**** For people who read **_**Late**_**: I'll try to update it tomorrow but we're going to the city for, probably, the whole day so I'm not 100 percent that I'll be able to update but I'll try! If not then I'll update maybe the next day alright? Besides, I haven't written it yet but I probably will before I go to sleep tonight.**


End file.
